Improvement in explosive projectiles for ordnance



W. W. HANES.

Shell. No. 36,295. Patented Aug 26, .1862

UNITE TA'IES ATENT "rricn.

WILLIAM WV. HANES, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,295, dated August 26, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. HANES, of Oovington, in the county of Kenton, in the State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Percussion-Proj ectile for Ordnance and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in making projectiles for ordnance in three principal parts, arranged in such a manner that the surrounding outside shell forms the hammer to the nipples or percussion-caps attached to the inside shell or charge-chamber; also, in separating the inside shell or charge-chamber from the outside shell at the end containing the nipples and percussion-caps by a cushion of such substance as will prevent thenipples and caps from coming in-contact with the outside shell untilit is desired to be exploded by striking some object with sufiicient force to cause said cushion to yield and allow the charge-chamber to advance forward, causing the caps to come in contact with the inside of the surrounding shell, thereby producing an explosion of both shells.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation by referring to the accompanying drawings,of which Figures 1, 8, and 5 are longitudinal sections, respectively, of the different modifications of this projectile, while Figs. 2, 4, and 6 are plans looking downupon the inside shell with the outside cap, A, removed.

Similar letters of referen ce refer to like parts.

A A is the outside shell, made in two parts, which are screwed together at H H, Figs. 1, 3, and 5, or they maybe put together near the rear end, as shown by the red lines I I, Fig. 1, when used for smoothbore guns. Bis themside shell and charge-chamber, which has an opening in the forward end through which to charge it.

D D are nipples inserted in the shell B, upon which the ordinary percussion-cap is used.

0 is a cushion placed between the inner and outer shell, to prevent premature discharge by the caps coming in contact with the shell A.

E E, Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6, are ribs or feat-hers projecting from shell A, which fit in corresponding grooves in shell B, to prevent said shell from turning or moving round independent of A, which is of great importance when used for rifled ordnance, as it prevents premature discharge or explosion of the shell. In order to prepare this projectile for operation, it is done in the followingmanner': Remove cap A and plug or cushion 0 from over the charge-chamber B; then fill chamber B with powder, replace the plug or cushion G,

which closes the opening in said charge-chamber, thereby preventing the powder from falling out. Upon the nipples D D place the on dinary percussion-caps when the cap A is screwed on to its place, and the shell is ready for use. The caps, being on the forward part of the shell, have no tendency to strike thein side of shell A until brought in contact with w some object in front, when the cushion will yield and allow shell A to strike the caps and produce an explosion. The advantages of this arrangement over those formerly used are obvious, as the greater number of caps and known devices other than that shown at Fig. 5.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 'is

1. Constructing projectiles for ordnance with an outside shell, "consisting of two parts screwed together, for the purpose and in the manner set forth.

2. An independent inside shellor chargechamber,with two or more nipples and percussion-caps attached, for the purpose of securing greater safety in charging and certainty of fire when in use, substantially as described.

3. The cushion c, for the purposeand inthe manner specified.

4. The projections or ribs E E, with their corresponding grooves, for the purpose herein set forth.

7 5. The combination of an outsideshell, made in two parts, AA,with an independent chargechamber, B, containing two or more nipples and percussion-caps, with the projections or ribs E E and cushion c, substantially as described.

WILLIAM W. HANES. \Vitnesses:

W. S. ELLIs, JOHN P. HARRISON. 

